Thirteen games on today, including six matinees. We begin in...
Boston, as the Bruins host the Vancouver Canucks. Ryan Miller faces a lesser foe in Anton Khudobin in goal. Vancouver began in the first period with a Bo Horvat goal, his sixteenth of the season, coming off of Jannik Hansen and Alexandre Burrows. Boston tied it with a Kevan Miller goal, his second of the year, helped along by Ryan Spooner and Frank Vatrano. The Bruins took the lead with a Vatrano power play goal, his seventh of the season, powered by David Krejci and Torey Krug. The Canucks retied it on a Burrows goal in the second period, his eighth of the year, via Hansen and Horvat. Boston regained the lead in the third period with a Colin Miller goal, his fourth of the season, assisted by Jimmy Hayes and Vatrano. Vancovuer tied it on a Markus Granlund power play goal, his fourteenth of the year, with assists provided by Alexander Edler and Ben Hutton. The Bruins won 4-3 with a David Pastrnak goal, his twenty-fifth of the campaign, via Krejci and Adam McQuaid. The three stars were Vatrano, Horvat, and Burrows, while Hansen and Krejci get the honorable mentions.
Up in Ottawa, the Senators welcome the New York Islanders. Thomas Greiss and Craig Anderson draw the starts in goal. Ottawa led off in the first period with a Mark Stone goal, his twentieth of the season, with a lone assist by Erik Karlsson. The Senators added on with a Zack Smith goal in the second period, his thirteenth of the year, passed from Kyle Turris and Dion Phaneuf. Ottawa extended the lead as Jean-Gabriel Pageau scored his sixth of the season, thanks to Tom Pyatt. This stood for a 3-0 win, with the three stars being Anderson (33 save shutout), Stone, and Smith.
Back stateside, the Philadelphia Flyers bring in the San Jose Sharks. Aaron Dell and Michal Neuvirth are the backups in goal. Philadelphia got going in the third period with an Ivan Provorov goal, his fifth of the season, coming off of Andrew MacDonald and Jakub Voracek. San Jose tied it on a Patrick Marleau power play goal, his twentieth of the year, powered by Kevin Labanc and Joe Thornton. The Flyers won 2-1 in overtime on a Wayne Simmonds goal, his twenty-third of the campaign, going in unassisted. The three stars were Simmonds, Provorov, and Neuvirth (23 for 24 in saves).
Southwest to Dallas, where the Stars host the Carolina Hurricanes. Cam Ward and Kari Lehtonen are the veteran goalies. Dallas opened in the first period with an Esa Lindell goal, his fifth of the season, going in unassisted. The Stars added on with a Patrick Eaves goal, his twentieth of the year, via Cody Eakin and Jamie Benn. Dallas extended the lead as Curtis McKenzie scored an unassisted goal, his fourth of the season. Carolina got on the board with a Sebastian Aho goal, his seventeenth of the year, coming off of Elias Lindholm and Jordan Staal in the second period. The Stars shot back with an Eaves power play goal, his second of the game and twenty-first of the season, powered by Radek Faksa and Benn. The Hurricanes got one back in the third period with a Justin Faulk power play goal, his second of the game and eleventh of the year, assisted by Lindholm and Staal. Dallas answered with an Adam Cracknell goal, his seventh of the season, with a lone assist by McKenzie. This made it 5-2, the final, with the three stars going to Eaves, McKenzie, and Benn, while Lindholm and Staal get the honorable mentions.
Backtracking to Nashville, where the Predators welcome the Florida Panthers. Roberto Luongo and Pekka Rinne draw the starts in goal. Florida started in the first period with a Jaromir Jagr goal, his tenth of the season, guided in by Keith Yandle and Jonathan Huberdeau. Nashville tied it on a Roman Josi power play goal, his seventh of the year, going in unassisted. The Panthers retook the lead in the second period with a Jussi Jokinen power play goal, his seventh of the season, powered by Vincent Trocheck and Reilly Smith. The Predators tied it on a Viktor Arvidsson goal, his sixteenth of the year, made possible by Ryan Ellis and Josi. Florida took the lead again with a Nick Bjugstad goal, his second of the season, assisted by Michael Sgarbossa and Mark Pysyk. The Panthers added on with a Trocheck goal, his nineteenth of the year, an unassisted goal. Rinne was replaced by Juuse Saros. Florida extended the lead as Aleksander Barkov scored a power play goal, his eleventh of the season, thanks to Huberdeau. Nashville got one back with a shorthanded Arvidsson goal, his second of the game and seventeenth of the year, set up by Ellis. The Panthers replied in the third period with a Huberdeau goal, his second of the season, courtesy of Alex Petrovic. The Predators responded with an Arvidsson goal, completing his hat trick on his eighteenth of the year, guided in by Yannick Weber and Calle Jarnkrok. Florida iced it at 7-4 with a Trocheck empty net goal, his twentieth of the campaign, fueled by Jokinen and Smith. The three stars belonged to Huberdeau, Trocheck, and Arvidsson, while Jokinen, Smith, Josi, and Ellis get the honorable mentions.
Northeast to Columbus, where the Blue Jackets bring in the Detroit Red Wings. Petr Mrazek and Sergei Bobrovsky are the masked men. Columbus struck first in the first period with a Boone Jenner goal, his tenth of the season, passed from Brandon Dubinsky. Detroit tied it on a Thomas Vanek power play goal, his fourteenth of the year, powered by Henrik Zetterberg and Darren Helm. The Blue Jackets took the lead in the second period on a Cam Atkinson goal, his twenty-seventh of the season, assisted by Jenner and Dubinsky. The game ended at 2-1, with the three stars going to Jenner, Bobrovsky (35 for 36 in saves), and Dubinsky.
At the usual time, the Montreal Canadiens host the St. Louis Blues. Jake Allen and Al Montoya have the green light to play goal. St. Louis was first to score in the first period with an Patrik Berglund goal, his fifteenth of the season, made possible by Alex Pietrangelo and Jaden Schwartz. Montreal tied it on a Shea Weber goal, his thirteenth of the year, courtesy of Max Pacioretty. The Blues took the lead in the second period with a David Perron goal, his twelfth of the season, assisted by Jori Lehtera and Kevin Shattenkirk. The Canadiens tied it on a Pacioretty goal, his twenty-eighth of the year, passed from Nathan Beaulieu and Greg Pateryn. St. Louis took the lead with a Berglund goal, his second of the game and sixteenth of the season, coming off of Jay Bouwmeester and Pietrangelo. The Blues iced it at 4-2 with a third period Berglund empty net goal, completing his hat trick on his seventeenth of the year, set up by Perron and Schwartz. The three stars were Berglund, Pietrangelo, and Pacioretty, while Perron and Schwartz get the honorable mentions.
In New York, the Rangers welcome the Colorado Avalanche. Calvin Pickard is mismatched with Henrik Lundqvist in goal. New York led off in the first period with a Kevin Klein goal, his second of the season, passed from Brady Skjei and Oscar Lindberg. Colorado tied it on a Gabriel Landeskog his eleventh of the year, courtesy of Nathan MacKinnon. The Avalanche took the lead in the second period with a John Mitchell goal, his second of the season, via Blake Comeau and Jarome Iginla. The Rangers tied it in the third period with a Klein goal, his second of the game and third of the year, helped along by Jesper Fast and Lindberg. New York took the lead with a Rick Nash goal, his sixteenth of the season, assisted by Derek Stepan and Ryan McDonagh. The Rangers finished it at 4-2 with a Kevin Hayes empty net goal, his fourteenth of the year, set up by Michael Grabner and J.T. Miller. The three stars went to Klein, Lindberg, and Lundqvist (32 for 34 in saves).
Back in Canada, the Toronto Maple Leafs bring in the Buffalo Sabres. Robin Lehner and Frederik Andersen Buffalo began in the first period with an Evander Kane goal, his seventeenth of the season, made possible by Sam Reinhart and Jack Eichel. The Sabres added on with a Reinhart power play goal, his twelfth of the year, powered by Kyle Okposo and Eichel. Buffalo extended the lead as Kane scored his second of the game, thanks to Eichel, who got a sock trick, and Justin Falk. Toronto got on the board with a Mitchell Marner power play goal in the second period, his fifteenth of the year, with assists provided by Tyler Bozak and Nikita Zaitsev. This produced the 3-1 final, with the three stars being Kane, Eichel, and Lehner (43 for 44 in saves).
West to Winnipeg, where the Jets host the Tampa Bay Lightning. Ben Bishop and Connor Hellebuyck are the young goalies. Tampa Bay started in the first period Brayden Point goal, his seventh of the season, coming off of Jonathan Drouin. The Lightning added on with a Brian Boyle goal, his thirteenth of the year, made possible by Victor Hedman and Jake Dotchin. Tampa Bay extended the lead on an Ondrej Palat goal in the second period, his eleventh of the season, with helpers from Point and Andrej Sustr. Winnipeg got on the board in the third period with a Jacob Trouba goal, his fifth of the year, assisted by Dustin Byfuglien and Blake Wheeler. The Lightning iced it at 4-1 with a Hedman empty net goal, his eighth of the campaign, set up by Palat and Cedric Paquette. The three stars were Point, Palat, and Hedman.
Back in DC, the Washington Capitals welcome the Anaheim Ducks. John Gibson and Braden Holtby tend the twines. Washington opened in the first period with a T.J. Oshie power play goal, his twenty-third of the season, powered by Marcus Johanssson and Nicklas Backstrom. The Capitals added on with a Backstrom goal, his seventeenth of the year, via Alex Ovechkin and Oshie. Washington extended the lead as Tom Wilson scored his fourth of the season, thanks to Daniel Winnik and Jay Beagle. Anaheim got on the board in the second period with a Jakob Silfverberg goal, his seventeenth of the year, assisted by Andrew Cogliano and Ryan Getzlaf. The Capitals answered with a shorthanded and unassisted Winnik goal, his seventh of the season. The Ducks chipped back with a Hampus Lindholm goal, his fifth of the year, made possible by Getzlaf and Silfverberg. Anaheim got closer with a Ryan Kesler goal, his nineteenth of the season, fueled by Cam Fowler. The Ducks tied it as Getzlaf scored his ninth of the year, with the help of Fowler and Kevin Bieksa. Washington regained the lead with a Zach Sanford goal, with assists provided by Brett Connolly and Matt Niskanen. The Capitals finished it at 6-4 with a Johansson empty net goal, his nineteenth of the campaign, set up by Backstrom. The three stars went to Backstrom, Getzlaf, and Oshie, while Silfverberg, Fowler, Winnik, and Johansson get the honorable mentions.
In Arizona, the Coyotes bring in the Pittsburgh Penguins. Marc-Andre Fleury and Mike Smith guard the cages. Pittsburgh dented the scoreboard with a Josh Archibald goal in the second period, via Eric Fehr and Tom Kuhnhackl. Arizona tied it on an unassisted goal by Tobias Rieder, his twelfth of the season. The Coyotes took the lead with a Martin Hanzal power play goal, his eleventh of the year, powered by Radim Vrbata and Oliver Ekman-Larsson. Arizona added on in the third period with a Hanzal goal, his second of the game and twelfth of the season, made possible by Ekman-Larsson and Max Domi. The Penguins chipped back with an Archibald goal, his second of the game going in shorthanded and unassisted. Pittsburgh tied it on a Phil Kessel goal, his nineteenth of the year, assisted by Jake Guentzel and Kris Letang. The Coyotes won 4-3 in overtime with a Connor Murphy goal, with a lone assist by Alex Burmistrov. The three stars belonged to Hanzal, Archibald, and Ekman-Larsson.
Finally, the Edmonton Oilers host the Chicago Blackhawks. Scott Darling and Cam Talbot are in the blue paint. Edmonton struck first in the first period with a Patrick Maroon goal, his nineteenth of the season, coming off of Connor McDavid. Chicago tied it with a Richard Panik goal, his thirteenth of the year, via Nick Schmaltz and Brent Seabrook. The Blackhawks took the lead with a Patrick Kane power play goal, his nineteenth of the season, powered by Panik and Jonathan Toews. Chicago added on in the second period with a Trevor van Riemsdyk goal, his third of the year, going in unassisted. The Blackhawks extended the lead as Panik scored his second of the game and fourteenth of the season on the power play, with the help of Toews and Kane. Laurent Brossoit replaced Talbot in goal. Chicago padded the lead in the third period with an Artem Anisimov goal, his twentieth of the year, with helpers from Kane and Brian Campbell. The final stood at 5-1, with the three stars being Panik, Kane, and Toews.
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